Lampstand



March 8,-1955 E. J. PETRICK EIAL 2,703,690

LAMPSTAND Filed July 21, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TORS jd'wara IfP5 zz'cfg Russel/Z5 Pefzulc/f March 8, 1955 E. J. PETRlCK EI'ALLAMPSTAND 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 21, 1950 IN VEN TORS'J March 1955E. J. PETRICK ETAL 2,703,690

LAMPSTAND Filed July 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent'LAlVIP-STAND Edward J. Petrick and Russell E. Petr-ick, Park Ridge,111., assignors to Bretford Manufacturing, Inc., Franklin Park, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application July 21, 1950, Serial No. 175,164 1Claim. (Cl. 248-124) This invention pertains to new and usefulimprovements in lamp stands, particularly of the type for usingtherapeutic bulbs.

One object of the invention is to provide a stand which may be adjustedto an almost infinite number of positions for use, in particular whenthe stand is fitted with .a therapeutic bulb and the patient isreclining as upon a couch or bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of the abovedescribed class which may be folded into relatively compact form forstorage without being dismantled.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a connector betweenthe vertically extensible portion of the stand and the relativelyhorizontally extensible portion or boom thereof which carries thereflector, which connector may be put into several positions withrespect to the vertical portion of the stand, thereby making forcompactness of the overall structure in its not-in-use or storedcondition.

Another object is to provide a tripod structure, the legs of which mayextend in well supported manner in a variety of positions fromnear-horizontal to closely spaced position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp stand having avertically extensible portion which has combined with it means forlocking the same in any elevated position and also has at its endsupport means giving additional rigidity to the structure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a lamp stand ameans whereby the conventional electric cord may be so placed in theusual socket and accompanying parts that the cord may be subjected to aconsiderable pull in a direction away from the reflector without puttingstrain upon the connection between the electric wires contained withinthe cord and the lamp socket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting means for thelamp cord, remote from the lamp socket, which will prevent the cord frombeing entangled about the extensible neck or boom which carries thereflector.

How these and still other and further objects of the invention areachieved .is set forth in the description which follows and shown on theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of the lamp in a typical position for use;

Fig. 2 is a showing of the entire stand as adjusted for atypicalcondition for compact storage;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a typical connector between thevertically and horizontally adjustable portions of the stand;

Fig. 4 is a view of the structure otherwise shown in Fig. 3 viewed fromthe left side;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the verticallyextensible member and the tube within which it telescopes, particularlyillustrating the lock means for holding the vertically extensible memberin desired position;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the cap otherwise shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 7--7of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is an exploded view showing the electric cord, its containedwires and the rearwardmost end of the usual lamp-receiving socket,particularly illustrating the 2,703,590 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 "ice novelmeans employed to prevent a pull given the cord from causing strain onthe connection between cord and wire-receiving portions of the lampsocket;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view 01' the leg portion of the stand adjacentits connection with the vertically extending tube hereinafter more fullydescribed;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the yoke whichsupports the electric cord slightly remote from the connection of thecord with the lamp socket; and

Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the cord-supporting yoke shown in Fig. 11.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. l, referencenumeral indicates a reflector, which may be of any conventional form,into which the bulb portion of -a therapeutic lamp or the like may bereceived. 21 indicates a cover for the rear end of the socket and forthe ends of the electric cord, best shown in Pig. 8, and referencenumeral 22 indicates the usual electric cord which may at its end haveanother connection (not shown) for insertion into a convenientelectrical outlet.

The reflector 20 is swingably mounted between the arms of a generallyU-shaped bracket 23, and rigidly connected to the bracket '23 is a rod24 which passes, as best shown in Fig. 3, through the bored out portion25a of a connector 25. A ball or handle 26 is positioned on the end ofrod 24 to be used in adjusting the lamp inwardly or outwardly withrespect to the connector. The upper end of a vertically extensible rod27 is receivable in the bored out portion 25b of connector 25, as shownin Fig. 3. Rod 27 is telescopably positioned within a vertically gxtergding hollow cylindrical tube 28, as best shown in At the lower endof tube 28 is a tripod which comprises outwardly extending legs 32, eachhaving at its outer end a rubber friction tip 33. Each leg is hingedlymounted at its inner end for vertical swing on an annular yoke 3i)which, in the various positions of extension of legs 32 slides upwardlyand downwardly on the external surfaces of tube 28.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, an outwardly extending lug '50, or similarmeans, is provided on tube 28 and below yoke 30 to inhibit the latterfrom assuming a position such as to cause legs 32 to assume other thanan upwardly and inwardly angular position, thereby assuring that theyoke will never pass therebelow and thereby become locked on tube 28.Rigidly mounted on the lower end of tube 28 is a fixed bracket 29 onwhich the inner ends of struts 31 are hingedly mounted for verticalswing, the outer ends of the struts being 'hingedly connected to thelower portions of legs 32 at about medially of their length,

Referring now particularly to Fig. 3, the connector 25 will be seen tohavea bore 25a passing angularly therethrough and extending in anupwardly angularly extending direction to receive the extensible rod orboom 24, and a thumb nut 35 is threaded into the upper portion of theconnector so that the end thereof, in its iii-turned condition, contactsthe outer periphery of rod 24 to hold the ,rod in any-desired positionof extension. At its lower end, connector 25 has a cylindrical bore Zebformed therein to receive the end of vertically extending rod 27. Stillanother thumb nut 36 is so positioned and threaded that,

y in its inwardly in-turned position, its end contacts the end of rod 27to firmly hold the connector on the latter. Connector 25 is providedwith still another cylindrical bore 37., in an angularly disposedposition, to receive the end of ,rod .27 in the compacted or folded upcondition of the lamp stand, such as that shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that rod 27 isinternally receivable within cylindrical member 23, there being mountedadiacent the end thereof a pistonlike washer 38, which is preferablymade of some resilient, friction-producing material such as rubber orplastic, this washer engaging the inner surfaces of tube 28 and formingan effective support for the end of rod 27. Positioned slightly abovewasher 3%, rod 2? is swedged out to form thereon outwardly extendingears 3? which inhibit rod 27 from normally being pulled out ofcylindrical member 28 a distance sufiicient to disconnect the engagedparts. Cylindrical member 28 has positioned upon its upper end a cap 40which has a medially disposed opening 40a through its top and throughwhich rod 27 extends. As best shown in Fig. 6, cap 40 is provided with alug 42 adapted to fit into a bayonet slot 41 provided in the end of tube28 so that when the cap is in proper position and turned, the cap isfirmly held in attached position on the end of the tube.

As best seen in Fig. 5, positioned below cap 40 and within cylindricalmember 28, is a helical spring 43 through the coils of which rod 27passes. A friction pad 27a comprising a piece of felt is wrapped aroundrod 27 in such a manner as to repose under the coils of spring 43 toform a friction pad tending to inhibit rod 27 from dropping when thehereinafter described locking means is released. The upper end of spring43 abuts the lower surfaces of cap 40, and the lower end of the springabuts the generally annular portion 44 of a locking means 45 for rod 27which locking means has a centrally disposed opening 46 therein throughwhich rod 27 extends. Opening 46 is sufiiciently larger than rod 27 torelatively freely receive the latter. Annular portion 44 has at its oneside a notch 47 to accommodate the in-turned crimp 28b of tube 28 (Fig.7) and at its side opposite notch 47 has integral with it thedown-turned lever portion 48. Locking means 45 is receivable in the endof tube 28 by insertion into a vertically extending slot 28a and in theassembled condition of the parts the locking means abuts and fulcrumsupon the lower end 28c of slot 28a. Spring 43 normally braces theannular portion 44 of the locking means into a slightlyout-of-horizontal position, thus causing the inner surfaces of opening46 to impinge the outer surfaces of rod 27. Downward pressure on lever48 releases this impingement permitting rod 27 to be telescoped withintube 28 to any desired position within the mechanical limits otherwiseimposed upon it.

Referring now to Fig. 8, the bulb-receiving socket, which is generallyformed of ceramic material, will be seen to be provided with externalthreads 52 to receive the correspondingly internally threaded cover 21,which is likewise formed of ceramic material. Cover 21 has an opening21a at its rear through which the electric cord 22 extends. Cord 22, asis conventional, contains two wires, the insulation of which is removedfor connection with the usual wire-holding socket portions 53. To takeaway any strain which might be imposed on the intercon nections betweenthe electric wires and their corresponding connectors, a transverselyextending member 54 of greater length than the diameter of opening 21ais positioned between the electric wires at a point more remote fromconnectors 53 than the distance between the latter and the internalsurfaces of cover 21. The transverse member is preferably taped in placeby means of several wraps of fusible tape indicated by reference numeral55. Thus, when cap 21 is screwed onto socket 51 into fully attachedcondition, any pull exerted on cord 22 will be carried by transversemember 54 rather than being borne by the raw wires attached toconnectors 53, the fusible tape securely holding the transverse memberin place and also thoroughly insulating the raw wires from one another.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12, there is therein shown thewire-supporting yoke which is swingably mounted on rod 24, preferablynear the handle-bearing end of the latter. This yoke is generallydesignated by reference numeral 60 and comprises a single piece of wirebent backwardly to form a wire holding loop defined by inbent portions62-62 and beyond these portions being bent outwardly again a distancegreater than the diameter of rod holds wire 22 spaced from rod 24 andprevents the wire from twisting or becomingotherwise entangled.

As heretofore mentioned, Fig. 2 shows the highly compacted form thestand may assume for storage. In this shape the end of rod 27 isinserted into connector opening 37, rod 24 then assuming an extremelydownwardly directed angle. Legs 32, in this form, assume a nearlyvertical position, yoke 30 being slid a considerable distance up tube 28and the leg tips 33 frictionally engaging the floor sufficiently toinsure retention of the leg position shown.

To put the stand into use, rod 27 is placed in connector opening 25b andthumb nut 36 is tightened down. Yoke 30 may then be slid down tube 28,thus giving legs 32 such spread as may be desired. It is to be notedthat the legs may lowered to a point sufficiently near the horizontal asto be readily shoved under a bed, permitting tube 28 and rod 27 to bebrought to the side of a bed. Depression of lever 48 to substantiallythe dotted line position shown therefor in Fig. 5 will release theimpingement of annular lock member 44 from rod 27 and the latter maythen be placed in any desired position. By loosening thumb nut 35angularly extending rod 24 may he slid in opening 25a to the desiredamount of extension and held in such position by tightening down itscontrolling thumb nut. Reflector 20, being hingedly carried between thelegs of U-shaped bracket 23, may be swung to any desired angle, cord 22being effectively guided by yoke 60.

From all the foregoing, it will be apparent that the stand of ourinvention provides great compactness, extreme rigidity, extremeadjustability and great versatility, attaining all those objectshereinbefore set forth with respect to it.

Having described our invention in considerable detail, we do not wishthis exactness of disclosure to be taken in a limiting but siring to belimited only as we may be by the scope of the appended claim.

We claim:

A lamp stand adapted for movement between a compact storage position andan adjustable operative position, comprising: an upright standard havinga cylindrical upper end portion; an elongated rod adapted to receive alamp fixture at one end; a unitary connector having a transverse bore inwhich said rod is slidably mounted, and a pair of sockets each adaptedto slidably receive the upper end portion of the standard to permit theconnector and rod to be selectively swingably supported in either of twopositions on the upper end of said standard, one of said sockets beingangularly disposed in rebore to support the rod in out- UNITED STATESPATENTS 454,553 Whitten June 23, 1891 1,031,839 Cochran July 9, 19121,152,071 Burnell Aug. 31, 1915 1,268,363 Lamont June 4, 1918 1,307,551Jackson June 24, 1919 2,391,101 Odin Dec. 18, 1945 2,417,654 Le Van Mar.18, 1947 2,473,632 Bode June 21, 1949 2,496,264 Benson Feb. 7, 19502,512,352 Macbeth June 20, 1950

